Boom and bracing



Nov. 11, 1969 J. a. TEMPLETON BOOM AND BRAGING 4 sheets-sheet 1 Filed July v, 1967 John B. Temp|e1`on Nv. 11, 1969 J.B.1'EMPLET0N BOOM AND BRACING 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July '7. 1967 mvENToR John B. Templeton MM ATTORNEYS J. B. TEMPLETON Nov. 11, '19694 BOOM AND BRAC ING 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 7, 1967 INVENTOR John B.Temp|e1on M BY ATTORNEYS Fig.lO

Nov. 11, 19h69 .1.5. TEMPLETQN BOOM AND BRAGING 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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mvENToR John @Templeton E y I; ATTORNEYS FigA' United States Patent O M 3,477,522 BOOM AND BRACING John B. Templeton, 1000 Singleton Blvd.,

Y Dallas, Tex. 75212 Filed July 7, 1967, Ser. No. 651,905 Int. Cl. E21c 9/00, 11/00; E04h 12/34 Us. c1. 17a-,4s l 14 claims ABSTRACT OF` THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates t'o a boom and boom bracing and more particularly relates to a braced boom for use in a hoisting and supporting crane."

It is an object of the invention to provide a boom having new and novel bracing structure.

It is a further object of theinvention to provide a laterally braced boom for use in a crane utilized in the hoisting and supporting of pile driving apparatus.

1 `It isa particularly important object of the invention to providea laterally braced boom specially adapted for supporting pile driver leads used in driving heavy battered piles at angles with the vertical.

It is another object of the invention to provide boom bracing including transverse struts .interconnected with each other and with theboom base and tip by guys.

It is a further object` of the invention to provide a braced :boom pivotally supported on a rotatable base connected with` a cable arrangement providing base bracing and ,supplementary turning means.

Itis still another object of the invention to provide a pile driving crane having new and improved bracing for the pile driving guide structure.

-4 Additional objects and .advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the` reading of the following description of `a device constructed inaccordance with the invention, and `reference lto the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein: i

FIGUE 1 is a side view in elevationv of a barge supported pile driving crane including a boom embodying the invention and showing a pile being driven at an angle into an earth structure;

l FIGURE l-A is a schematic top plan view showing the barge moored to a plurality of anchor barges;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l illustrating the cable arrangements associatedwith both the boom base and the leads;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side view in section `along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 showing a portion of the leads supporting structure;

FIGURE 3-A isa veiw in section along the line 3A- 3A of FIGURE I3 showing the leads roller unit for movably supporting the lower end of the leads;

FIGURE 4 is a view in section and elevation showing the boom-and its lateral bracing structure as viewed along a line 44 in FIGURE l;

`FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in section and elevation along a line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 showing a portion of one of the lateral Outrigger struts used in the rbracing structure;

3,477,522 Patented Nov. 11, 1969 VFIGU'RE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation along the line 6 6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section and elevation along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is'a fragmentary perspective view of one of the base connecting brackets for the bracing guys extending to the struts of the boom bracing structure;

, FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary View in perspective of the main lateral beam and one of the longitudinal beams of the base frame for the boom; and

FIGURE` l0 is an enlarged fragmentary View in perspective of a joint between the main lateral base beam and an angle brace beam of the boom base frame. Referring to the drawings, a derrick 20 includes a. laterally braced boom 21 embodying the invention pivotally mounted on an axis 21a for vertical movementabout its lower end on a turntable 23 secured on a barge 24. Telescopic leads 25 are supported at their upper end from the upper free end of the 'boom 21 for guiding and supporting a pile driver hammer 30. The leads also are supported at their lower end, as described below, for both lateral and longitudinal pivotal movements. The Icombined adjustability of the boom, which is raised and lowered by pivoting about its base end and rotated to lateral positions .on the turntable along with the longitudinal pivotal and lateral movement of the lower end of the leads permits the pile 31 to be driven into the earth structure 32 at a wide variety of angles.

For purposes of reference, the end of the barge on which the leads are mounted shall be considered the stern or aft end. Thus, the near side of the barge 24 in FIG URE 1 is the starboard or right side while the other is the port or left side. Also, :with the 'boom generally oriented as in FIGURE 1, the face of the boom adjacent to the leads shall be considered as the back face of the boom and the boom face facing the forward end of the barge being termed the front face of the `boom. The faces of the boom facing the sides of the barge are side faces.

j An arrangement for holding the barge on location while drivinga pile 31 is represented in FIGURE 1-A showing the barge tied at points 33 along its port side to the sides of a groupV of interconnected barges 34 which are held against horizontal movement in the water by spuds 35, each of which is driven downwardly into the bottom 32 through a sleeve type well structure, not shown, in its respective barge. Additionally, the barge 24 is held against movement by spuds 36 which are inserted and removed by use of either a small tower assembly 37 or other suit-` able `standard procedures, some of which do not require the employment of such a tower. Such arrangement is more fully set forth in my co-pending application, Serial No. 678,820. Obviously, the :barge may be anchored in other suitable lways, if desired, such as tying alongside a dock, and, during bridge construction, by mooring to previously installed bridge bents.

`The boom 21 includes four longitudinal legs 38 extending in substantially parallel spaced relationship over a major portion of their length along which the boom has a square figuration in cross sect-ion (FIGURE 5). The boom legs are connected together by transverse rigid brace members 39 and braced by cross members 40 connected between adjacent pairs of legs between each pair of adjacent members 39 in a generally conventional manner. Along an upper end portion of the boom, the boom legs converge and are connected with a multiple sheave assembly `41. A long a lower end portion of the boom the boom legs along each side face of the boom converge to the pivotal axis 21a as shown in FIGURE 1. The two pairs of lower convergent leg portions diverge slightly from each other along the pivotal axis 21a, as shown4 in FIGURE 4, to provide a slightly wider base for the boom' than the width of the major portion of the boom. l

In accordance with the invention, the boom 21 is braced against lateral deflection by transverse outrigger or strut assemblies 42 and 43 which are spaced longitudinally along the boom both from each other and from the opposite ends of the boom. The struts are interconnected with each other, with the base 22, and with the upper end of the boom by outer main guy rods or cables 44, 45, rand 50, and with inner supplementary cables or rods 51 andv 52. The struts 42 and 43 extend transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boom 21 oriented under no-load conditions substantially parallel with each other and with the booms pivotal axis 21a. Each strut is pivotally supported on the boom along an axis perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis of the boom and the pivotal axis 21a intersecting the longitudinal axis.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the strut 42 includes a pair of spaced parallel members 53 which extend along the front and back faces of the boom and are coupled together by parallel, spaced connectors 54 and a central pivot shaft 55, each of which extends between and perpendicular to the members 53. Each of the connectors 54 consists of tubular sections 54a which are each suitably secured, as yby welding, at their opposite outer ends to the members 53 and are interconnected at their adjacent ends by a central sleeve 54b which telescopes over and is pinned to the inner ends of each of the sections 54a. The shaft l55 similarly includes portions 55a which are welded at opposite outer ends to the members 53 and are secured together at their adjacent inner ends by a sleeve 55b. The strut 42 lis additionally braced by crossed cables 60 secured at opposite ends to brackets 61 on the members 53 between adjacent connectors 54 on each side of the shaft 55. A turnbuckle 62 included in each cable 60 adjusts the tension in the cable. The connectors 54 and 55 are formed in sections so that the strut is assembled on and removed from the boom Without making or breaking permanent joints.

The strut 42 is supported on the boom on a pair of spaced parallel beams 63 formed on a pair of the boom brace members 39 positioned at the same longitudinal position in the boom in the front and back faces of the boom parallel to the pivotal axis 21a of the boom. Each of the beams `63 includes a pair of channel members 64 secured along the front and back faces of each brace member 39 and plates `65 secured along top and bottom edges of the channel members, FIGURE 7. A sleeve type bearing 70 is secured on a pair of spaced brackets 71 which are mounted on the top plate 65 at substantially the mid-point of the length of each beam `63, FIGURES and 6. The pivot shaft sections 55a each extend through a bearing 70, meeting approximately half-way between the shaft support beam 63 Within the boom, and are connected by the sleeve 5517 which is secured to the shaft half sections by pins 55C held in position by cotter pins 55d, FIGURE 7.

The outer ends of the members 53 of the strut 42 are slotted, as at 72 (FIGURE 5) and a vertically extending bracket 73 is suitably secured, as by welding, to the strut member through the slot for connection of the guys 44, 45, and 52. A pair of hanger brackets 74 are secured near the center of the outside of each of the same `beams 63 to which the brackets 71 supporting the strut are secured for connection of the inner or supplemental guys 51. Each of the guys 51 has an end bracket 51a secured by a bolt 75 to the bracket 74.

The guys 44 and supplementary guys 51 along each side of the boom converge at the boom base and are secured to a bracket 80, FIGURES 4 and 8, which is pivotally secured to a beam 84 of the frame 22 along an axis common with the axis of rotation 21a of the base end of the boom, thereby bracing the lower portion of the boom against deflection in either lateral direction. The bracket 80 includes a bearing sleeve 80a and a plate portion 80h to which the supplementary guys 51 are pivotally connected by a bracket 81. The guys 44 may 4 be either rods which are suitably secured, as by welding, to the bracket as shown in the FIGURE 8, or wire rope or cables connected by any standard means with the bracket. Each of the guys 44 and 51 may include turn-buckles, not shown, for adjusting the tension of the guys.'

The upper lateral strut 43 is shorter than but otherwise identical to the strut 42 in structure. The strut `43 shall thus be considered as having: identical components as the strut 42, denoted by the same reference numerals. The ends of each of the members 53 of the strut 43 are provided with a bracket 82 which is similar to the bracket 73 but has means for connection of only a single upwardly and inwardly extending guy 50 and a single downwardly extending guy 45. Thus, each of the four guys 45 extending upwardly from the strut 42 is connected to an outer end of the corresponding one of the members 53 of the strut 43 by a bracket 82. VThe front guys 45 from the front member 53 on the strut 42 extend to the front member 53 of the strut 43, and guys 45 are similarly connected between the back'V members 53 of the struts 42 and 43. One pair of inner of supplementary guys 52 is connected from opposite ends of the front member 53 of the'strut 42 converging over the front face of the boom to brackets 74 on the front beam -63 of the boom at the strut 43. Guys 52 are similarly connected from the back members 53 of the strut 42 to brackets 74 on the back beam 63 at the strut 43.

One pair of guys 50 are connected between the front member 53 of the strut 43 to a V-bracket 83 on the front face of the boom near its tip. Another pair of guys 50 are connected from the back member 53 of the strut `43 to a V-bracket similarly located on the back face of the boom.

The pairs of guys 51, 52, and 50 preferably intersect at their upper ends along common lines in the front and back faces of the boom, aligned with the longitudinal axis of the boom.

The base frame 22 and adjustable base bracing for the boom are best seen in FIGURE 2. The base frame includes the lateral main beam 84 secured at its opposite ends to a pair of forwardly convergent beams 85 connected at their forward ends with a pair of spaced longitudinal parallel beams which are secured at their aft ends to the lbeam 84. The base frame is supported for rotation about a vertical axis at the center pin 23b of the turntable 23 having a ring gear 23a driven by a pinion gear 91 operated from a prime mover, not shown, in the cab of the derrick barge. The base end of the boom is pivotally supported on a pair of parallel spaced brackets 92 secured with the Ibeams 84 and 90 at their intersection, as seen in enlarged detail in FIGURE 9. The base end of the boom includes a sleeve member 93 to which the boom legs are secured and which is mounted on a shaft 93 disposed through the apertures 94 of the brackets 92 for pivotally supporting the boom at its base end for rotation about the axis 21a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boom.

The pivotal connection at the base end of the boom thus provides an axis about which the boom is swung in raising and lowering its upper free end while boom movement in either lateral direction is obtained by rotating the boom base on the turntable. A reinforcing plate 95 is secured as by welding along the top face of the beam 84 extending a substantial distance on either side of the brackets 92. A pair of upwardly extending spaced brackets 10d is secured at each end portion of the upper face of the beam 84 for the pivotal connection of the lower ends of the guys 44 and supplementary guys 51 by means of brackets 80. Each of the brackets 8), to which the guys 44 and 51 are secured on opposite sides of the base end of the boom, is secured to its respective bracket 10) by a pin 101 extending through the apertures 100a of the bracket and through the sleeve 80a of the bracket 80. The axis of each of the pins 101 and thus of the sleeves 80 is coincident with the axis of the shaft 93 so that the lower ends of the guys 44 and 51 and the boom base revolve about the axis 21a as the boom is raised and lowered.

An operators cab 102 is supported on the beams 90 of the base frame 22 housing controls and suitable power vunits for the derrick barge. A dual A-frame 103 is mounted on the cab for supporting the lower ends of cables 104 connected at their upper ends to the upper free end of the boom 21 for supporting the boom at a desired angular position, for raising and lowering the boom, 4and for raising and lowering the hammer 30. The cables are operatively connected with suitable hoisting apparatus (not shown) in the cab.

As shown in FIGURE 2 a boom basesteadying and turning cable arrangement 105, and leads adjusting and steadying cable arrangement 110, are mounted on the stern portion of the barge aft of the base frame 22. The boom base cable arrangement 105 primarily provides supplementary steadying for the boom base to reduce the load on the pinion gear 91 and may also be used to supplement the driving force of the pinion gear for revolving the boom base frame on the turntable, The lead adjusting cable arrangement 110 moves lower end of the leads 25 laterally and steadies it at a desired position. The cable arrangements are both connected with and partially supported by a deck frameon the barge including longitudinal parallel spaced beams 111 secured at their forward ends to a lateral beam 112 and having a rear portion extending rearwardly from the stern of the barge, FIG- URE 1.

The boom base steadying and turning cable arrangement 105 includes a dual drum hoist 113 supportedon a .pair of transverse spaced beams114 secured on the barge deck between the beams 111 and connected thereto. A sheave or pulley block 115 is supported on a post 120 mounted on each of the beams 111 at the opposite ends of the transverse beams 114 and aligned longitudinally with the drum hoist. A pair of spaced. pulley blocks 116 are secured on the beam 84 of the boom base frame 22 near the ends of the reinforcing plate 95 on the beam. One cable 121 is connected from a drum 113a of the drum hoist through the sheave 115 on the starboard beam 111 to the port sheave 116 on'the beam 84, so that rotation of the drum 113a which takes up the cable revolves the base frame 22 in a counterclockwise direction on its turntable. Similarly, the drum 11311 of the drum hoist is connected by a cable 122 through the block 115 on the port beam 111 to the starboard sheave 116 on the beam 84, so that rotation of the drum 113b `taking up the cable 122 rotates the base frame 22 in a clockwise direction on its turntable, as viewed in FIGURE 2. The cables are wound on the drums in directions such that when one of the cables is being wound on its drum the other cable is being fed off its drum, so that the cables are both kept taut irrespective of the rotational position of the base frame 22, thus providing positive supplementary steadying of the boom base and reducing the load on the pinion gear 91. p f

While the leads 25 are supported at the upper end by and move with the upper end of the boom 21, the lower end of the leads is movably supportedon a moonbeam track 131 by leads roller or sheave unit132 mounted along the front face of the lower end portion of the leads by a bracket unit 133. The leads Vroller unit includes a frame 134 in which a roller or sheave 135 is rotatably mounted and adapted to roll on the moonbeam, providing rolling support for the lower end of the leads. The moonbeam is a laterally extending tubular member or pipe mounted on an upwardly facing channel member 140 supported on a transverse beam 141 which is secured on an aft end portion of the longitudinal beams 111. The leads roller unit supports the leads for transverse movement in either direction along the moonbeam and also permits the leads to pivot longitudinally about the moonbeam as the upper end of the leads is moved forward or aft by the boom tip.

A vertical post 142 is secured on and extends upwardly from each outer end of the beam 141 outward of the moonbeam. A knee-brace 143 extends from the deck of the barge upwardly and rearwardly to each of the posts 142 for steadying the posts. A sheave 144 is secured on each of the posts for handling cable for pulling the leads roller unit along the moonbeam to shift the lower end of the leads transversely.

A sheave block 145 is secured on each side of the leads roller unit 132, as shown in FIGURE 3-A, for the cable used in moving and holding the lower end of the leads. Sheave blocks 151 are secured to posts 152 mounted on each of the beams 111 in substantial longitudinal alignment with a winch drum 153. The winch drum is supported on the lateral beams 154 extending between the outer rear ends of the beams 111. Two cables 155 are rigged between the winch drum through the sheave blocks 144 and 151 to the sheave blocks 145 at opposite ends of the leads roller unit 132, so that the winch drum shifts the lower end of the leads laterally in either direction along the moonbeam. Also, the cables and winch drum provide for positively holding the lower end of the leads stationary at a desired location along the moonbeams.

The leads 25 is a conventional pile driver guide structure having a substantially U-shaped cross section open along its back face to receive and guide the pile driver hammer 30 and the pile 31. The pile driver hammer is slidably supported within the leads, being movably suspended on cables (not shown) and guided upwardly and downwardly within the leads by rails 25a which form the back vertical edges of the leads. The pile driver hammer 30 may be any suitable conventional type of prime mover utilized in a pile driver for driving a pile downwardly. Typical pile driver hammers are steam driven.

The derrick barge 20 is employed for driving piles, such as the pile 31, into an ocean, lake, or river bed, and is especially adapted, because of the lateral boom bracing and the base bracing, for driving piles at angles with the vertical within relatively close tolerance limits. The barge is moored or anchored in a suitable manner to prevent its horizontal movement in the water, as by tying it alongside the anchor barges 34, FIGURE 1-A, and further securing it by driving the Spud 36 through the barge into the earth bed 32. The boom 21 and the leads 25 are rigged in the general relationship illustrated in FIGURE l. It will be appreciated that when the barge is in transit it is generally preferred for stability considerations that its center of gravity remain low by carrying the boom at its lowest position resting on the beam structure along the aft end of the barge with the leads 25 being carried disassembled along the barge deck or transported separately.

The boom 21 is raised and lowered by pivoting it about its base end on the shaft 94 with the cable 104. In rigging the derrick barge for pile driving, the boom 21 is raised to the desired height and angular relationship which is broadly determined by the length of the leads 25, which is secured at its upper end with the boom point and lifted to the operating position of FIGURE 1. The lower portion of the leads is supported by the lead roller unit 132 positioned on the moonbeam pipe 131. The pile driver hammer 30 is installed in the leads or may be within the leads coupled within its tracks 25a previous to lifting the leads to operating position. The pile driver hammer is coupled with the upper end of the pile 31 with the hammer and pile being lifted to a sucient height within the leads to permit the lower end of the pile to be lowered to the desired penetration point in the earth bed 32. The pile is partially received within the open sided leads, FIG- URES l and 2, thereby providing some guidance for the pile at its suspended position and While being forced downwardly by the hammer. The hammer, of course, is secured in sliding relationship Within the leads supported from cables (not shown) extending from the cab over over the boom point.

When the pile is properly supported within the leads above the location of its desired penetration, the leads are adjusted to the required angle by positioning the upper and lower ends of the leads, which are independently adjustable. The lower end of the leads is moved laterally by the leads adjusting cable arrangement 110 actuated by the drum hoist 153. The upper end of the leads is movable both laterally and longitudinally by positioning the boom tip which is raised and lowered by the cables 104 and is moved laterally in a circular path toward either side of the barge by rotation of the frame 22 on the turntable 23.

The boom 21 is capable of rotation on the base supported on the turntable to vary the lateral position of the boom tip and longitudinal and elevational positioning of the boom tip by raising and lowering the boom. The boom, and thus its longitudinal axis, remains at .all times, regardless of its angular inclination, within a vertical plane disposed perpendicular to its axis of rotation 21a along the sleeve 94.

The pile 31 may be driven downwardly vertically, at a multiplicity of angles either longitudinally or laterally, or at angles determined by a combination of longitudinal and lateral sloping. For example, with the pile disposed vertically it is sloped and driven in either lateral direction while holding the pile in .a vertical transverse plane by moving the upper and lower ends of the leads laterally in opposite directions until the pile slopes at the desired angle toward the desired side of the barge. Such lateral displacement with the pile sloping downwardly and away from the near side is shown in FIGURE 1, in which the pile slopes downwardly toward the port side of the barge at an an-gle transverse of the barge while being held within a vertical plane extending transverse to the barge. Such leads inclination is achieved by shifting the leads roller unit away from the near side toward the port side of the barge by the cable arrangement 110 and, if necessary, to achieve the desired angle, rotating the base of the boom 21 on the turntable toward the near side of the barge in a counterclockwise direction as seen from above the barge, thereby moving the boom tip to ward the starboard side of the barge. Obviously, the pile may be sloped in the other direction while holding it in such transverse vertical plane by shifting the lower end of the pile by means of the leads cable arrangement tward the starboard side of the bar-ge and, if necessary, revolving the base of the boom 21 toward the far or port side of the barge to move the boom tip towards the port side.

When the winch drum 153 moves the lower end of the leads in either lateral direction, one end of the cable 155 is wound on the drum from the direction toward which the leads .are being moved while the other end of the cable extending in the direction away from the leads iS unwound from the drum. The cables extending to each side of the leads roller assembly remain taut to rigidly hold the leads against movement in either direction except when being actually shifted by the winch drum.

The boom 21 is revolved by the pinion gear 91 meshing with the main drive gear 23a of the turntable, and, if necessary, the boom base cable arrangement 105 is used to supplement the force of the pinion gear for rotating the boom base to the desired position. As previously explained, one of the drums of the hoist 113 takes up the cable while the other feeds out the cable as the boom base is revolved so that the cables extending to each side of the base remain taut to further hold rigid and steady the base of the boom.

The pile 31 may be sloped to a limited extent forward or aft by shifting the longitudinal position of the boom tip by raising or lowering the boom by means of the cables 104. Of course, in so altering the position of the boom tip the cable 130 supporting the upper end of the leads must be paid out or taken up, permitting telescopin-g of the upper end sections of the leads in the usual manner, dependent upon the angular position of the boom, since 8 the leads roller unit remains on the moonbeam as the leads are sloped forward or after requiring that compensation for changes in the angular relationship between the leads and boom be made between the boom tip and the upper end of the leads by such telescoping.

When the leads and pile are supported at the desired angle for driving, the hammer 30 is actuated for driving the pile downwardly until ithas been vforced into the bed 32 to the desired depth. When driving a pile at a lateral angle in either direction, the reaction forces on the boom tend to flex or bend theboom laterally toward the side of the boom opposite to' the angular direction in which the pile is being driven. The lateral forces applied to the boom also tend to turn the boom at its base. Substantial boom and boom base rigidity are necessary lfor driving piles within low tolerance limits. For example,y

piles as long as feet or longer are oftenheld to positional tolerances of their upper ends when driven of less than 6 inches, thereby imposing appreciable rigidity requirements upon the boom, the boom base, and the leads in lifting and then driving the piles within such tolerance limits. In accordance with the invention, substantial lateral rigidityfor resisting deflection of the boom and mov e,v ment of its base end are provided by the lateral boom bracing and the boom base cable steadying arrangement described herein. The pivotal connections of the lower ends of the boom guys with the base in alignment with the lower end of the boom along a common axis allows the boom to be raised and lowered, so that irrespective of the height or angular position of the boom the guys are effective to minimize lateral deection of the boomfThe pivotal mounting of the lateral struts on the `boom permits slight lateral boom deflection without breaking the cables or rods comprising the guys. The reaction forces applied to the boom through the guys 44,A 45, and 50 responsive to the driving of a pile in an angular direction are applied to the boom through the strut pivot shafts and the V-brackets at the boom tip along'longitudinal lines substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the boom in a plane coincident with the boom tip and with the axes of the pivot shafts. The triangular bracing and the substantial distance between the pivotal connections of the lower ends of the boom guys with the boom base further enhances the resistance of the boom to lat, eral deflection. Y

It will now be seen that a new and improved boom embodying the invention is especially adapted to support pile driver and leads apparatus for driving heavy battered piles at angles which normally cause excessive r`cantilevered side loads on and resultant failure of conventional booms. v l

It will be seen that the boom is braced against lateral deflection and is particularly adapted to use with a lead for supportingpile driving apparatus; and, that the boom is especially adapted for supporting pile driving apparatus when driving piles at an angle. j

It will also be seen that the boom includes transverse struts interconnected with each other and with both a. boom base and the tip of the boom by triangular bracing guys- .Y

It will also be seen that each of the tranverse struts is pivotally connected with the boom so that reaction forces transmitted to the boom are applied to it along lines parallel with its longitudinal axis.

It will also be seen that the boom is pivotally supported on a base along an axis common with the axis of pivotal connection of the lower ends of the boom guys.

It will also be seen that the lower ends of the boom guys are connected with the boom base at locations laterally spaced from the base end of the boom along lines coincident with the pivotal axis of the boom base. l,

It will be further seen that the boom base is operaf tively connected with a cable arrangement for providing rigidifying force to the base for additionally holding the base at desired positionsI of rotation while supporting pile driving apparatus, for .angulardriving While a preferred form ofthe youtriggerl's'trut 42 and 43` includes the dual members 53, it will beV obvious that "the struts may compriseia single lateral or transverse member, similar'tothe memberSS'; pivotally supported at Alength may permit the use of a single Outrigger strut with its center att'hecenter of the shaft SSSuch single struts kv'vould thus vextend laterally through the Ahoorn interl"selcting vitsv longitudinal axis'and `be connected with each the guys `,being altered accordingly to provide both the y,

to which it is pivotally secured against lateral deliection of said boom comprising: transverse strut means pivotally connected to said boom spaced from its opposite ends and projecting laterally from each side of said boom; and guy means connected with said strut means at the ends thereof spaced laterally outwardly from said boom and extending to and connected both to the tip end portion of said boom and to pivot means on said boom base means spaced laterally outwardly of the base end of said boom.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said guy means includes supplementary guys connected with said boom adjacent the pivotal connection of said strut means with said boom and extending divergently to connecting means on the outer ends of said strut means laterally spaced on opposite sides of said boom and also connected with said guy means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said boom and said guy means are pivotally connected to said base means along a common axis whereby said guy means is maintained effective at all angular positions of said boom relative to said base means.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said strut means comprises at least one transverse strut spaced between the base and tip ends of said boom, and said guy means includes primary guys connecting outward ends of said strut on opposite sides of said boom with the tip of said boom and with said pivot means on base means spaced laterally outwardly from opposite sides of said boom and supplementary guys connecting the boom adjacent the pivotal connection at the center of said strut with said pivot means on said base means spaced laterally outwardly of said boom.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said strut means comprises at least two transverse struts spaced from each other longitudinally of said boom and from the base and tip ends of said boom, and said guy means includes primary guys interconnecting outward ends of said struts on opposite sides of said boom with each other and the one of said struts nearest the tip of said boom with the tip of said boom and the other strut with said pivot means on said base means outwardly of said boom, and first supplementary guys connecting the boom adjacent the pivotal connection at the center of the strut adjacent to the base end of the boom with said pivot lmeans on said base means outwardly of said boom and secondV supplementary guys connecting the boom adjacent the pivotal connection at the center of said strut nearest the tip with outer ends of said other strut adjacent to the base end of said boom.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said struts are secured to the boom on pivotal axes perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said boom at the base end thereof and to the longitudinal axis of said boom and said struts are' pivotally movable in planes substantially parallel with said pivoted axis of said boom. i

7. Apparatus as deiined in claim 6 wherein said boom base is rotatable in a horizontal plane and including bracing means operatively connected with said boom base for supporting said base at a desired position of rotation. a 8. A boom assembly adapted to resist lateral deec- .tion responsive to lateral force components applied to said boom comprising: a boom; base means for supporting said boom; means pivotally securing said boom on said base means along an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said boom; transverse strut means pivotally supported on said boom along an axis intersecting and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal `axis of said boom and spaced from the ends thereof; and

guy means connected to the outer ends of said strut means along opposite sides of said boom and at one end to a tip end portion of said boom and at the other end to pivot means secured to the base means spaced laterally outwardly on each side of the base end of said boom.

9a. Boom structure as delined in claim 8 wherein said guy means includes supplementary guys connected with the pivot means on said base means and with said boom adjacent the pivotal axis of said stmt means.

10. Boom apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said boom base means is rotatable on a platform and adjustable cable means extends to said base means from said platform for rotatably moving said base means and holding said base means against movement at desired positions of rotation.

11. Hoisting and supporting boom apparatus adapted to resist lateral deflection when forces having lateral cornponents are applied to said boom apparatus comprising: a base frame for supporting said boom; a boom pivotally secured at its base end of said base frame along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said boom; a plurality of transverse struts pivotally secured on said boom and extending laterally outwardly to each side thereof substantially parallel to the axis of the pivotal connection of the boom with the base frame, said struts being spaced longitudinally of said boom from each other and from the tip and base ends of said boom; means pivotally connecting each of said struts on said boom along an axis substantially perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis of said boom and the pivotal axis of connection between said boom and said base frame; each of said struts having substantially parallel spaced elongate members connected together and disposed substantially perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said strut and lying outside the front and back faces of said boom and extending laterally outwardly beyond opposite side faces of said boom; first convergent guys connected with outer end portions of said elongate members of the one of said struts nearest the boom tip extending convergently towards said boom tip, said lirst guys being connected at one end with the outer ends of said strut nearest said boom tip and being connected at their other convergent ends with said boom near said tip; second convergent guys connected at one end with the outer ends of the next adjacent of said struts and extending convergently inwardly to said boom adjacent the pivotal connection at the center of the strut nearest said boom tip; third convergent guys extending from pivot connecting means on said base frame spaced laterally outwardly from said boom on either side thereof and extending to said boom substantially adjacent the pivotal connection at the center of the strut nearest said base frame; fourth guys intrconneeting the outer end portions of each of said struts with the next adjacent strut and of the strut nearest said base frame with said pivot connecting means on base frame spaced laterally outwardly from said boom, said fourth guys extending along opposite side faces of said boom from the base frame to the strut nearest the boom tip; said pivot connecting means connecting said third and fourth guys with said base frame along a pivotal axis common with the pivotal axis at the base end of said boom whereby said guys remain eective independent of the angular position of said boom with said base frame.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said base frame is rotatably supported on a platform and turning and steadying cables are connected with winch means and said base frame to restrain said base frame at desired positions of rotation.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 in combination with pile driving means having leads for supporting and guiding piles, said leads being supported at an upper end from the tip end of said boom and at a lower end for lateral lineal and longitudinal swinging movement whereby said boom and said leads are movable to desired positions for driving piles at desired angles.

14. A system for supporting the upper end of leads of pile driving apparatus for both lateral and longitudinally adjustment of said leads for positioning said leads to drive piles at desired lateral and longitudinal angles to position the upper end of said piles at a predetermined point with respect to the body into which said pile is being driven, said system including: a boom of the character set forth in-claim 11 wherein said base means is rotatably mounted on a support the upper end of said boom being connected with said leads and movable about its pivotal connection with said base means and rotatably on said support for adjusting the position of the upper ends of said leads; and bracing means connected with said base means for restraining rotational movement of said base means on said support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 808,132 12/ 1905 Williams 173-28 1,395,895 11/1921 Bellony 173-43 2,459,198 1/1949 St. lohn 7.-- 52-119 2,827,772 3/ 1958 Taylor et al. a 173-28 X ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 52-117 

